


He looked above and saw the clouds, who then told him of a lie placed in blatant sight

by RandomlySane



Category: Naruto
Genre: Aka SasuSaku, Angst, Assassination, Canon Divergence, Character Development, During Chuunin Exams, Equals Slow Burn, Fanboy Naruto, Fastest Burn, Fastest Platonic Burn, Friendship, Gen, Haruno Sakura & Yamanaka Ino Friendship, It usually doesn't work on the arses, Kakashi Is Done, Medic Sakura, Multi, Naruto and Sasuke frenimes for life, No bashing on charaters, Oiroke no Jutsu | Sexy no Jutsu, People actually talking to Naruto about being a jinchuurki, Protective Shikamaru, Protective Uzumaki Naruto, Sakura is the only sane one in team 7, Shikamaru and Naruto, Shikamaru gives the hugs, So Shikamaru plans, So done, Strong Female Characters, Talk no Jutsu doesn't always work, Uchiha Sasuke Being an Asshole, Uchiha Sasuke Has Issues, Undercover Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto Needs a Hug, genjutsu wielder Sakura, world building
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-15
Updated: 2020-09-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:56:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26475289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RandomlySane/pseuds/RandomlySane
Summary: “Naruto, stop it! That guy’s like a monster! Why don’t you understand that?!”“He can act like a monster if he wants to, but you know what? I’ve got the real thing inside me! So, there’s no way I’ll lose to the likes of him!”…Shikamaru spent weeks staring at the clouds trying to connect dots that refused to connect.“...I see. You and I are the same.”Uzumaki Naruto, born on October 10th, with blonde hair and blue eyes. And ever since Shikamaru could even remember seeing him, the boy always had whisker-like scars on his face… almost like a fox.That’s ridiculous.Shikamaru thinks,there’s no way people treated Naruto like that just because he’s the jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune.(Or Shikamaru figures out that Naruto is the jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune after the confrontation with Gaara at the hospital and decides to talk to him before the finals. )
Relationships: Akimichi Chouji & Nara Shikamaru & Yamanaka Ino, Dai-nana-han | Team 7 & Hatake Kakashi, Gaara & Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Sasuke, Hyuuga Hinata & Uzumaki Naruto, Konoha 11 & Sai & Uzumaki Naruto, Nara Shikamaru & Uzumaki Naruto, Shikamaru Nara & SLEEP, Temari/ Nara Shikamaru/ Uzumaki Naruto/ Hyuuga Hinata, Uchiha Sasuke & PROBLEMS/REVENGE, Uchiha Sasuke & Uzumaki Naruto, Uzumaki Naruto & Issues
Comments: 29
Kudos: 147





	1. [The Clever Boy And His Friend(?)] "The Obvious Lie!"

Before, Shiikamaru always wondered why people treated Naruto the way they do. Spent weeks staring at the clouds trying to connect dots that refused to connect until he finally relented and asked his dad about it. In the end, his mom looked scared about the subject as his dad calmly explained that he can’t say why.

It was annoying. Like a buzzing in his head that he can’t get rid of- So, Shikamaru decided, that it wasn’t worth thinking about if he can’t find anything out. Why try when he knows he won’t find an answer?

The question never truly left his mind, but it stored itself away for another time. The loud bossy voice of his mom and Chouji’s company at the forefront of his mind. And the next thing he knew, he’s a genin participating in the Chuunin’s exams and tomorrow's finals.

Shikamaru can’t sleep, not when the face of a demon- Gaara of the Desert, promises to kill him when he closes his eyes. An irrational fear? Surely, he’s not strong enough to pass the defenses of the Nara Compound even if he decided to go crazy and try.

Would Naruto be alright? He’s an orphan but since he’s a certified ninja now, he probably has his own place now. Did Naruto ever even live at the orphanage? The paygrade of a genin isn’t much, does he receive a bonus from the Hokage? Naruto has always been alone as far as he knows-

_ “Naruto, stop it! That guy’s like a monster! Why don’t you understand that?!” _

_ “He can act like a monster if he wants to, but you know what? I’ve got the real thing inside me! So, there’s no way I’ll lose to the likes of him!” _

…

Shikamaru spent weeks staring at the clouds trying to connect dots that refused to connect.

_ “...I see. You and I are the same.” _

Uzumaki Naruto, born on October 10th, with blonde hair and blue eyes. And ever since Shikamaru could even remember seeing him, the boy always had whisker-like scars on his face… almost like a fox.

_ That’s ridiculous.  _ Shikamaru thinks,  _ there’s no way people treated Naruto like that just because he’s the jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune.  _

(It seems so  _ obvious.  _ In plain sight. And he wonders what the Hokage was thinking when he told everyone to make it a secret. Because the only person in the whole who could have the ability to try hiding it is him. His dad is the Jonin-Commander only below the Hokage. Why else would his dad tell him that he can’t say?)

(There’s no way it would have worked. No way a secret, a  _ lie,  _ that big- Could ever stay buried… But it did. Spectacularly so and maybe the Hokage would have known that it would.) 

(Shikamaru doesn’t let himself feel guilty. It would do nothing and with logic, he knows, he’s not at fault. It doesn’t stop the crushing feeling in his chest, but it works to ease it.)

There were times, Shikamaru would stop to think what a pain it would be for a person to announce themselves all the time. Couldn’t possibly imagine entering the room and saying, “I’m Shikamaru Nara and my dream is to watch clouds all day and probably do a better job than my dad!” Can’t imagine failing and failing and still getting up and saying that in front of so many people. 

Only someone desperate for any kind of acknowledgment would do that. 

Shikamaru can imagine what it must have felt like- Seeing and remembering the giant demon fox that destroyed your village and feeling hate mixed with fear. He remembers enough from the scary stories told by the older kids at school, seen enough of those glassy-eyed stares of the survivors.

What he can’t imagine is being the one that is hated.

Naruto never knew back in the academy. That much, Shikamaru is certain. Because once a man had glared and pushed for no reason when the blonde was just looking at masks, and everyone just stared. Naruto had frozen from the sight, dressed in his usual school clothes, as he stood up and asked why people looked at him like that. The only earned him more fearful and for some, hate-filled glares.

_ It wasn’t fair.  _

Naruto never cried, never gave up, and had a heart bigger than most. Claiming, swearing, to fight someone so out of his league because Hinata deserved respect. The two never really talked, setting aside the blatant crush the girl has, there wasn’t actually anything there besides that they’re classmates. 

There isn’t anything, really, between a person and Naruto. Only classmates. Only that one person who you hang out infrequently.

Naruto still has his team. Iruka-sensei.

But Iruka can’t always be there for him, Sakura takes after her peers and dislikes Naruto, Sasuke is far too, understandably, focused on revenge that it can’t be healthy, and Hatake Kakashi, someone his dad once spoke about. A student of the Fourth Hokage and the Fourth had died at the hand of the Kyuubi.

He sighed and closed his eyes, no use thinking about it when he could just try confirming it himself tomorrow. 

…

A horrible choice, indeed, when there’s a reason for him not being to sleep in the first place. 

_ -Shikamaru tries not to show how terrified he is in front of that monster, but it’s clear the monster doesn’t care. That thing’s sand isn’t part of the shadow he captured and he’s only wishfully thinking that Gaara can’t move it so long as he can’t move. _

_ To think that Suna would ever keep a monster like this- _

Naruto is nothing like Gaara. He’s stronger than him and Shikamaru is starting to see that Naruto is the strongest person he knows, and it’s a different kind of strength than just beating one’s enemies. 

One could only remain so strong for so long alone. 

Maybe, if the people around Naruto couldn’t be there for him, maybe Shikamaru can be the one there.

[-------------------------------------] 

He wakes long before the sun comes up.

Leaving a note saying that he left earlier to clear his head before his match, silently apologizing to his dad about the mess he’s going to leave him. But his dad married mom and had him- What did he expect to happen?

  
Shikamaru sighs, jumping onto the roofs to avoid the people crowding on the street. Despite it being so early in the morning, people still decided to stay up and most of them were from outside of the village. He supposes that it’s normal for people wanting to see the final match for the Chuunin’s exams. 

If he remembers correctly, during this time, the Police Force would be patrolling the area, making sure that people won’t get out of hand or cause problems, and other shinobis would be busy keeping people from infiltrating according to what his dad had explained, but…

They’re gone.

And no one ever could manage to fill the gap caused by the loss of the Uchihas, which explained the reason why the lords from other places were still out with their servants. (Along with the other opportunistic villagers who were more than happy to serve their patrons.)

He moved away from the noise, knowing that he won’t be able to sleep anytime soon if he doesn’t see Naruto-

_ It’s a dream. _

_ He knows it’s a dream, that nothing is real, and that his reality is much better than  _ **_this._ ** _ But it’s getting harder to believe that to be the truth when his mind is on overdrive, thinking of the million ways that- _

_ That… _

_ Kami, it’s a dream. No one would hurt Naruto and Naruto wouldn’t retaliate for how people treated him. He’s stronger than that, it wouldn’t matter if people wished he disappear, he’ll carve out his place in this village- _

_ “To them, I am simply an object of the past that they wished would disappear. Then for what reason am I alive? When I thought about this, I could find no answer. But as you live, you need a reason- Otherwise, it’s the same as being dead.” Gaara says, and his words are chilling- Because Shikamaru remembers this, and he remembers the look on Naruto’s face. _

_ Shikamaru understands why Naruto looked at the desert shinobi like that. _

_ ‘I can understand. He’s… the same as me!’ _

_ Is probably what Naruto thought at that time.  _

_ “I then came to the conclusion,” Gaara’s voice mixes with Naruto’s, “ _ **_‘I exist to kill everyone besides myself.’_ ** _ With that, I finally understood the joy to be alive.” _

_ Then they’re back where the street vendor pushed Naruto, loudly proclaiming to the child to ‘get lost’ in a fit of unjustified anger. The man, who Shikamaru knew to always sell masks with a kind smile, sneered as no one bothered to help Naruto up. _

_ “Why is he still here?” “What is Lord Third thinking about keeping  _ _ that boy _ _ here?” _

_ “Why…? WHY ARE YOU LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT? I’M NOT ‘ _ _ THAT BOY’ _ _! I-I’M NARUTO UZUMAKI AND I’M GOING TO BE HOKAGE! JUST YOU WATCH!” _

_ Naruto had always shouted his name, so much so that everyone knew it.  _

**_“My existence will not vanish.”_ **

-And Shikamaru knows that he’s acting out of character. Being irrational. 

Or perhaps, he’s not, and the one being irrational is Naruto Uzumaki. One could understand wanting to retaliate against the people who hurt you, but it’s harder to understand someone who actively tries to get the acknowledgment of the ones who hurt.

Whatever it was, it didn’t sound right  ~~ or healthy ~~ ~~.~~

But Naruto strives for it anyway. 

Well, that’s something he’ll have to think about later. It’ll only cause more problems for him if he addresses it before the final matches. Especially if he doesn’t even know how to address it yet.

Shikamaru stops, suddenly appearing, an Anbu stands in front of him. And in a moment of his genius, he says with obvious fake nonchalance, “Hey… nice morning, right?”

The Anbu stares, “... You’re Shikaku Nara’s son, you shouldn’t be out so late.”

Yeah.

No use trying to lie.

“I’m looking for Naruto Uzumaki. Do you happen to know where-”

“Why? Uzumaki-san isn’t someone who’s usually sought out.” The statement isn’t delivered as mean, but as a clear and obvious fact. 

… 

Huh. 

“I suppose you would know?”

The Anbu stays silent before giving him a quiet scoff as he whispered-yelled to himself, “Right. Shikaku’s son, I should’ve known.”

He resists the urge to look smug, trying to pull off a look saying that he has no idea what the shinobi was talking about as the Anbu continued to speak.

“Naruto lives over that way, near the academy. Sector 12, Building 42 Apt #542. Don’t take any detours, no one is supposed to be out.”

Shikamaru raised his brow at the statements, an Anbu knows where Naruto lives and people aren’t supposed to be out before the final matches of the Chuunin Exams? Naruto, if his theory is correct, and it most likely is, is understandable. But to hinder business and restrict the outings of the wealthy lords, that doesn’t make sense-

_ To think that Suna would ever keep a monster like this- _

Suna might be planning something since they brought their own jinchuuriki.

“But are there still Lords from the foreign lands that are allowed to be out?”

“It’ll be taken care of.”

That was a rather quick reply. Shikamaru nodded, thankful about the directions and the lack of questions. “I see, thanks. If you’re able, please tell my parents you saw me off safely because I may have just left a note for them.”

“...I understand. Though, I advise that you refrain from doing that in the future.”

Shikamaru gives the shinobi a nod, then heads over to Naruto’s direction. So, obviously, the Anbu are  _ ‘well-acquainted’  _ with the blonde. One could say that it’s the result of Naruto being the #1 Prankster in the Village, but if someone would consider the fact that Naruto is the Kyuubi’s Jinchuuriki then it would make sense for the Anbu to know where their village’s greatest weapon is at. 

That fact makes him nauseous. 

Naruto… is Naruto- A loud, slightly annoying kid that wants to be Hokage and somebody should tell him that. Even if Naruto himself knows that he isn’t just a weapon, it’s important that someone  _ tells  _ him that. 

He stops in front of the building. 

Shikamaru almost decides that he’ll talk to Naruto at another time, one better than before the important final matches. But,  _ no,  _ he had put off finding out why people treated Naruto the way they did and so much time had passed since then.

He needs to do it now.

The walk up the stairs felt heavy, and it felt impossible to look back and leave. Shikamaru stops in front of the door at the very top of the building and sighs.

He knocks on the door three times, “Naruto! You in?”

Nothing happens. Shikamaru groans, planting his feet to the ground so he doesn’t run away. He can’t leave. Not yet, he needs to get this done now. 

“It’s Shikamaru! I- uh, want to speak to you!”

Shikamaru’s eyes widen at the sudden slam from inside, led by a loud groan followed by a curse. Quickly, feet slam on the ground as it rushed over to open the door, revealing Naruto who had just woken up from a deep slumber. 

Inwardly, Shikamaru laughed because only Naruto would be sleeping soundly despite the earlier encounter with the bloodthirsty Gaara yesterday. 

The blonde froze at the sight of him, before reeling back in shock as he stared wide-eyed as he yelled out, “SHIKAMARU?! WHA- WHY ARE YOU HERE?!”

Instantly, Shikamaru moved to quiet Naruto before he could wake anyone, only for the people downstairs to shout at him to shut up. 

The Nara sighed and scratched the back of his head as he looked at the confused stare from his friend- ( _ Are they friends? Or just classmates? _ ), “Troublesome, can I come inside or am I just going to have to stay out here? Not that I would recommend it-”

He shoved his hands in his pockets to hide his fidgeting.

“-since it’s kind of cold out here. Do me a favor and let me in, won’t you?”

Naruto closed his gaping mouth and nodded, then yawning, “Uh-huh, yeah. What’d you want with me anyway, Shikamaru? It’s so early too.”

He raised his brow as he entered and Naruto was quick to take back his words.

“Not that I mind or anything! I swear! I’m glad that you’re, uh, here? I didn’t think I would ever have a friend over my apartment.” He brightened instantly, “If I knew you were coming, then I would have cleaned up a bit! Heh- Is Chouji here? Did you come to hang out or something? Strange timing but I don’t actually mind, we could use the time to relax before the finals. I even have some-”

Inside the apartment, the entire place littered with trash. If his mom saw this, she wouldn’t have let it stand and would’ve gotten on his case. To the side, he could see Naruto sheepishly trying to pick up the ungodly amount of trash enthusiastically as he continued to speak.

“Actually, Naruto, I’m not here for any of that.” Quickly cutting him off, Shikamaru could see the exact moment the blonde became disappointed.  _ Kami, he sounded so happy too.  _

Uzumaki Naruto was swift to cover up his disappointment, “Oh. Then why are you here, Shikamaru?”

“Hmm? Me?” Shikamaru starts, gaze landing onto the  _ many  _ posters used to cover the walls, “Well, uh, how do I put this? Truthfully,-”

_ Why were there so many posters? Most of them don’t even match Naruto’s personalities. _

“-I have to speak with you. It’s about what you said during our confrontation with Gaara.”

Naruto stared at him, plopping himself onto the counter as he scrunched up his face to think, “What I said…? With Gaara?”

Shikamaru watched as Naruto crossed his arms and fail at coming up with an answer. Pulling on his hair in frustration trying to figure it out. Truly, not understanding at all why he was here. Still not connecting what he said at the hospital that day to right now.

_ “Naruto, stop it! That guy’s like a monster! Why don’t you understand that?!” _

_ “He can act like a monster if he wants to, but you know what? I’ve got the real thing inside me! So, there’s no way I’ll lose to the likes of him!” _

Honestly, Shikamaru would believe that Naruto never thought that he was the Jinchuurki of the Kyuubi until someone outright told him. In fact, depending on how much the villagers talked, he probably believed that he  _ was  _ the Kyuubi. 

Shikamaru pulled out a box of instant ramen to sit, “Yeah. I thought what you said was kind of interesting, you saying that you have a ‘real monster’ inside you and all.”

All the noises Naruto made in frustration ceased and Shikamaru keenly observed how the blonde became rigid and defensive on top of that small counter. 

The boy faked a smile, a familiar sight if the Nara remembered back far enough, “Hmm? What are you talking about, Shikamaru?” 

_ He’s scared. _

Shikamaru refused to look away from the closed-eyed and fake smile Naruto gave him.  _ What a mess,  _ He keeps his voice steady as Naruto opens his blue eyes to look at him.

“I know that you’re the Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi, Naruto.”

* * *

**[NOTES]**

I’ve always wondered why Shikamaru, the boy with an IQ over 200, never figured out that Naruto is a Jinchuuriki after the confrontation with Gaara at the hospital. Naruto literally said that he had a “real monster” inside himself, and Gaara did say that he had the demon Shukaku sealed inside him. Plus there was the whole thing with you’re the same with me and all that. Shikamaru is the heir to the Nara clan and is extremely smart, obviously, he should know what “Shukaku” is and what Naruto meant.

Plus, I just absolutely love Shikamaru and Naruto’s relationship- whether it be romantic or platonic.

Obviously, this story will stray from canon. Naruto won’t be as obsessed with Sasuke because Sasuke isn’t the only one who acknowledged him during the Chuunin exams-

You know the scene with “The one I want to fight the most is you, Naruto.”

Yeah…

Now throw in Shikamaru. 

As of now, he's just realizing how much Naruto is going through and how strong Naruto actually is. He witnessed Naruto get beaten down by Kiba and how he kept getting back up and was able to defeat him. He was also able to see him swear with his own blood that he'll defeat Neji for Hinata and Shikamaru is starting to believe that he will. Shikamaru also witnessed first hand what Naruto is dealing with because he’s a jinchuurki and how he just keeps on fighting for people’s acknowledgment.

Now Shikamaru comes to terms with all of that and talks to Naruto  **before** Sasuke leaves and all that.

Imagine what will happen. 

Naruto’s dream is to be acknowledged. He wants to be known as  _ “Naruto Uzumaki” _ instead of “ _ That Boy.”  _

This is why when he introduces himself to Team 7 he says, "I'm going to be Hokage! So everybody will have to acknowledge me!  _ Like I'm somebody!  _ Somebody important!"

Naruto considers Sasuke his rival and during the start of the preliminaries, Sasuke says, “The one I want to fight the most is you, Naruto.” To Naruto, it means that Sasuke is finally seeing him as a rival and that he’s allowed the chance to make Sasuke acknowledge him. 

Naruto considers Shikamaru someone who’s his classmate who  _ might  _ consider Naruto a friend. Shikamaru is one of those kids who didn’t treat him any differently like any other person but isn’t someone Naruto can be considered close too. 

Naruto doesn’t actually know if they’re friends.

But Shikamaru was there to visit him at the hospital, and that’s the first time he ever woke up to someone- So… That definitely means that they’re friends, right?- Naruto.

Then we have (divergent from canon) Shikamaru coming to Naruto’s house and Shikamaru is going to talk to Naruto about him being the jinchuuriki and reassure that it doesn’t matter.

*evil laughter*

This is where things change from canon.

It changes a lot.

Because [f***] Kishi for making Naruto and Sasuke be like brothers because of some reincarnation [s***]. You could have given us a valid character development between these two- But, OH, they were meant to fight since the very beginning. It’s FATE.

Yeah.., Let’s just forget the very meaningful fight in the show about destroying fate and creating your own path. [F***]ing SAGE OF THE SIX PATH’s “The blue-eyed boy who would play among the tailed beast.”

“Child of Prophecy.”

[Long series of curse words.]

Well, GUESS WHAT?! 

Everyone will get development! Everyone will go down the path made by their choices and not because it’s meant to be. And everyone’s choices will affect other people. 

[F***] fate.

Also, I may or may not know where the story will go- So, I’m just as excited as you are! I can’t wait to see what happens next! :)

Join me on Discord:  [ https://discord.gg/xCHr3SR ](https://discord.gg/xCHr3SR)

Tumblr: someone-ev

(Oh, yeah, did you notice that I took some lines from the manga? Chapter 97: REASON TO EXIST?) 

(Tell me in the comments.)


	2. [Interlude] "Naruto Uzumaki!"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _He’s a good child. He knows he is, he does everything right._

_ He thinks it’s going to be his birthday. _

_ It usually happens when it starts snowing and when the adults start to get angrier and angrier around him. Not that the boy knows why, but it’s the time when he knows he’s supposed to be good. _

_ Only good children can eat.  _

_ Good children don’t cry. _

_ Good children don’t complain. _

_ Good children aren’t seen. _

_ Good children aren’t heard.  _

_ He’s a good child. He knows he is, he does everything right. _

_ The adults of the orphanage don’t like it when he’s there, so he plays outside till it’s too cold. It’s okay, he’s a good person.  _

_ He’s a good person. _

_ The boy never hurt anyone, he swears. _

_ But… _

_ He still doesn’t get food.  _

_ The old granny of the orphanage always tells stories, and he always listens. But tonight was different because outside people were getting busier and the old granny is staring at him when she speaks.  _

_ “ _ **_Do you know why we always throw a festival on October 10th?”_ **

_ Every child raises their hand and so does he. He’s good. He can show them that he’s good.  _

**_“It’s because a giant Fox tried to destroy our precious village because it was filled with hate.”_ **

_ He’s good.  _

**_“The demon was so powerful and so filled with hate that a single flick of one of its nine-tail would destroy mountains, a single roar can destroy buildings, and a single swipe of its hand killed many of or people.”_ **

**_“He took so much from us. Our families, comrades, and even our lovers.”_ **

**_“That night, he even took my own daughter and grandchild away. My dear daughter who had just given birth to that child a week before.”_ **

**_“That beast came to the Leaf on October 10th, killing so many of us- Forcing us to this orphanage and even making our precious Lord Fourth sacrifice his own life to kill the demon.”_ **

_ The granny never once took his eyes off him. _

**_“We throw a festival to honor those who have fallen and to celebrate the death of the nine-tailed fox.”_ **

**_“But… There’s a rumor going around the village.”_ **

**_“That the damned demon took the form of a boy to avoid his death. Oh, children, you shouldn’t be scared. It’s impossible for the demon to hide among us because it only understands hate.”_ **

_ His chest is starting to hurt, and for some reason, it’s as if he’s running out of air.  _

**_“It is impossible for that thing to love.”_ **

**_“And.”_ **

**_“It’s impossible for it to hide.”_ **

_ Maybe… As the boy couldn’t move from the glare directed at him, he thought- _

_ It doesn’t matter how hard he tries.  _

_ He’s just bad.  _

**[-------------------------------------]**

_ The boy wakes on a comfortable bed, an old man sitting to his side.  _

_ For the first time, someone smiles at him, “Ahh, it seems that you’re awake, Naruto. Do you like your bed?” _

_ He looks around, who was that old man talking too? _

_ What was he doing before this? _

_ The old man chuckles, “Is there something wrong, Naruto? I don’t think I’m talking to someone else with that name.” _

_ He points to himself. _

_ The old man laughs, “Yes, you’re the one I’m talking to. You’re Naruto Uzumaki.” _

_ “Oh.” _

_ The old man sighs, “This is going to be your new place because the village decided that you’re old enough to live in your own apartment! You even get your own bed! And an entire apartment to yourself! Are you happy with this arrangement?” _

_ Naruto nodded slowly, taking in the face that was smiling at him as he returned the smile tenfold. “Really, old man?! I get a bed?! W-W-With those, uh, R-REALLY big blankets?! Away from that-” _

_ The boy began to whisper. _

_ “-um, m-mean granny?” _

_ The old man smiled, “Of course, Naruto, you’re a child of our village after all.” _

_ The boy clung to that name- _

_ … _

_ Naruto. _

_ Naruto Uzumaki. _

* * *

**[Notes]**

***screaming***

I headcanon that Naruto was placed in an orphanage at a very,  _ very  _ young age in hopes that he’ll be able to make a friend there growing up. But, information leaked about him, and it was deemed too dangerous because the place was filled with people who recently lost their family to the nine-tails. The old granny being the one who told everyone. 

Rather indiscreetly.

Also, I headcanon that Naruto doesn’t remember his time at the orphanage. 

He also didn’t know his name at first or his birthday. IF Kishi really meant that he was isolated since the beginning, then it really means that Naruto was all on his own. Especially when it came to learning how to read, and other things. Which, by the way, means  **abuse** .

Also, when watching Naruto pre-shippuden, I noticed that Naruto is really scared of Ghosts. So, my angsty brain came up with the possibility that Naruto was always told scary stories to “stay in line.”

Honestly, I really wanted to write this as a story that made the Third Hokage to be decent at his job- But for that to happen, it would change Naruto’s childhood and Sasuke’s own as well.

This is a rather short chapter, but please do  **comment** . This chapter was meant to show why Naruto is really scared about people finding out about his “circumstances.”

T_T (I’m making myself cry so much right now.)

Please  **comment** ! If you don’t know what to  **_comment_ ** , then  **_comment _ ** “ **KUDOS** !” (Which I will still love.) 

  
  
  


__

**Author's Note:**

> Please **COMMENT** or Kudos. (You can also comment Kudos!)
> 
> Discord: https://discord.gg/xCHr3SR


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